Rouken Glen’s looking grand

John A. MacInnes

Following a four-year £3m project, Rouken Glen Park in East Renfrewshire is arguably looking the best it ever has.

And, with a whole host of new facilities and features for visitors to enjoy get yourself along to the showcase event on Saturday, July 30.

First established as a public park in 1906, Rouken Glen is one of the west of Scotland’s most popular outdoor attractions, enticing visitors from East Ren and nearby Glasgow, Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire, as well as much further afield, for its bewitching combination of wide open spaces, wild woodland, waterfalls, sculptured gardens, children’s play area and a boating pond!

But scratch the surface and there are fascinating historical, geological and archaeological features that are being highlighted as a result of a £2.15m investment by the Heritage Lottery Fund supplemented by a further £1m from East Ren Council.

ERC environment convener, Councillor Vincent Waters, describes the moment when he first heard that HLF had awarded the funds needed to restore the park it to its former glory.

He said, “It was June 2012 when news came through that the Council had been successful in its bid for HLF money to restore Rouken Glen and I can remember that word spread through our offices like wildfire, while trying to keep a lid on it, of course, until the official announcement!

“It was just so exciting to hear that we had the means to realise all our ambitions for this special place and subsequently in terms of improvements to much-loved park.